The Future of Work

The Future of Work 

We are in the middle of a huge shift in the way that people approach work. Job satisfaction and the feeling of fulfillment in becoming increasingly important to professionals across the board. There are two huge factors shifting the workplace: job satisfaction and the gig economy. 

Job Satisfaction: Job Crafting 

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is now one of the most significant factors people look at when choosing to accept a new position. Job crafting  A recent article by AllWork discussed the topic of Job Crafting: 

“The idea, the concept behind job crafting has been around for 10 years, but it really hasn’t made its way into the general public of working people and HR leaders. But basically, it is about providing employees with the opportunity to redesign their jobs so that their jobs better fit with their personalities, motivations, and skills.”

Job crafting allows employees to personalize their jobs on a deeper level, making sure it fits with their work style and persona. As the article mentioned, this is not a new idea, but with the changes we’ve been seeing in the workplace, it is becoming increasingly popular. Job crafting is awesome for employees because it boosts happiness, but it also has huge benefits for employers as well. For example, did you know that happy employees are up to 20% more productive than unhappy employees? (Forbes) Happy, productive employees lead to business growth; overlooking employee happiness can be detrimental to your business, so taking frequent pulse checks and promoting workplace satisfaction is critical. 

How do you incorporate job crafting into your business? It can be simple: allow employees to hone their natural abilities and motivations. For example, some people work better in the early mornings than afternoons; give employees the flexibility to work outside of the 9-5 model, say 7-3, for example. Small changes like this can make a huge difference in job satisfaction.

The Gig Economy

The other key factor in the changing workplace is the rise of the gig economy. The gig economy is creating a major shift in the nature of work; more and more individuals are opting for less traditional forms of employment, such as freelancing or entrepreneurship. 

What is the gig economy? “‘Gigs’ in this sense are essentially short-term or project-based work, and "gig workers" are the independent contractors hired to do those jobs. The gig economy is essentially based on corporations who contract these people for temporary jobs, rather than hiring for permanent positions.” (CNN)

Those who work in the gig economy get to be their own boss; they choose when they work, how often they work, and even set their own rates. Freelance writers, for example, can decide how much to charge per word, hour, or article. The gig economy gives workers a huge amount of freedom, which is why it is so attractive. However, there is a downside: working gigs is significantly less stable than the traditional 9-5 job. If you participate in the gig-economy as your main or sole source of income, you are at risk of inconsistent employment.

What Does the Future of Work Look Like?

Now we’re left with the question: what does the future of work look like? While the traditional 9-5 will always exist, and will likely remain the most common workplace model, now more than ever there are options for professionals to shape their own work model. Whether you decide to craft your job to your specific skills and motivations, or dive head first into the gig economy, it is an exciting time of change and growth for professionals across the board. What changes have you seen in the workplace recently?